Carton opening and handling device



July 13, 1965 l R. G. BoRcHETTA, JR., ETAL' 3,193,922

CARTON OPENING AND HANDLING DEVICE Filed June 13, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 i' -Q I fr) Il X July 13, 1965 Filed June 13, 1962 R. G. BoRcHETrA, JR., ETAL CARTON OPENING AND HANDLING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS RALPH e. BORCHETMI. JoHrv J. BosDANsK:

JOSEPH M K UovY JAMES E. MUL'REED July 13, 1965 R. G. BoRcHE'r-rA, JR., l-:TAL 3,193,922

CARTON OPENING AND HANDLING DEVICE Filed June 13, 1962 JAMES E. MULREED July 13, 1965 R.G..BoRcHEr1-A,JR., ETAL 3,193,922

CARTON OPENING AND HANDLING DEVICE Filed June 13, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 m g I 59 I I L/ M/L INVENTORS by RALPH e. eoRcHEITmIr.

JOHN J. BoGDANsK/ JOSEPH I/. ,Y1/80W JAMES E. lvl/REED United States Patent O CARTON OPENING AND HANDLlNG DEVICE Ralph G. Borchetta, Jr., Harrison, NSY., and John J.

Bogdanski, Joseph V. Kuhovy, and .lames E. Mulreed,

Stamford, Conn., assignors to Pitney-Bowes, Inc., Stamford, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed .lune 13, 1962, Ser. No. 202,263 15 Claims. (Cl. Sti-2) The present invention relates to a device for operating upon closed cartons and more particularly to such a device which opens each carton by separating a wall thereof formed by flaps releasably secured together.

In many States it is required that a tax stamp be applied or imprint be made on each package of cigarettes to be sold within the State. The packages are packed in a closed carton of the type having a wall formed by bending inwardly aps formed by extensions of the side wall and releasably securing the flaps together. To expose the bottoms of the respective cigarette or other packages for access thereto by the stamp or imprint applying means this wall is opened by separating and bending open the flaps. It is thus essential for subsequent operations that include the stamp alluring and reclosing operations that the carton be opened by the separating of the ilaps, that such separation of the ilaps be with a minimum of mutilation, if any, of the flaps, and that the iiaps after being opened be presented in a condition which enables the flaps to have glue applied thereto and then be folded into their initially closed position. If the wall is formed of a narrow ap and a wide ap, as is generally the case, it is also necessary that each carton be properly oriented to have the same ilap be on the same side of the carton.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a device for opening cartons which performs the above essential steps in opening a carton or else prevents the carton from passing through the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide for opening a carton by severing the releasable detachable connection of the flaps forming the wall with a minimum of mutilation of the flaps.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a device of the above-noted type a means for normally preventing passage of any carton therethrough unless it has its ilaps both properly opened and properly oriented in the device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a carton opening device for effecting reverse bending of the aps from their initial closed condition for enabling subsequent operations on the carton, such as reclosing, to be effectively accomplished.

A feature of the present invention resides in guiding each carton along a path to engage a nose portion of a ap opening means so that with subsequent movement the nose portion is projected between the bowed wall of the carton that is to be opened and the carton proper. As the top wall is formed of two laps releasably secured together and as the nose portion increases in height rearwardly it causes the releasable securement between the two aps to be broken and the aps separated. However, to prevent undue strain on the flaps by the nose portion, there is mounted rearwardly of the nose portion a laterally extending thin edge blade that is caused to enter between the overlying segments of the two llaps and to sever any releasable connection or glued portions remaining between the flaps of the carton that were not previously broken apart by the nose portion. Thus mutilation of the flaps is prevented.

The nose portion and blade are mounted on a shoe means that after the blade includes a -trst laterally extending surface which flares rearwardly outwardly and by 3,193,922 Patented July i3, i965 "Ice engaging the large flap causes it to be reversely bent from its initial position. Similarly, the small ilap by another rearwardly laterally aring surface formed on the shoe means is also caused to be reversely bent and thus the carton leaves the device with the aps opened and properly positioned for subsequent operations.

In order to make certain that the device has functioned properly on each carton, there is provided blocking means which normally block the path of the carton through the device. However, for releasing the blocking means to permit a properly opened carton to pass therethrough, there is provided flap sensing means which is mechanically connected to the blocking means and if the carton is correctly oriented and the flaps are properly opened, the sensing elements mechanically render the blocking means ine'ective to block the carton and hence the carton passes through the device.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the carton handling device of the present invention, with portions broken away to show underlying details of construction.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view thereof, partly in section and with portions broken away.

FIG. 3 is a side view, with portions also broken away.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along section line 4-4 of FIG. l showing the initial bowing of the wall of the carton which is to be opened and with the nose portion thereunder.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along section line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a detail View showing the initial severing and separating of the ilaps of the wall.

FIG. 7 is a sectional View taken along section line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a detail view showing the tlaps opened and reversely bent as the carton leaves the device of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a plan View showing details of the carton blocking mechanism with the parts being shown in carton blocking position.

FIG. l0 is a plan View similar to FIG. 9 showing the parts in their non-blocking or carton passing position.

FIGS. 1l, l2 and 13 are perspective views of individual parts of the carton blocking mechanism.

Referring to the drawing, the carton opening device of the present invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20 and includes a base enclosure 21 provided with foot members 22 and 23. The enclosure has a vertical bearing 24 in which is positioned a cylindrical support member 25 connected at its lower end to linkage elements 26 and 27 while a horizontal plate 23 is secured on its upper end. Also secured on the base enclosure 21 is a side wall 29 whose vertical side surface with the top surface of the horizontal plate 28 dene a path for guiding a carton 30, shown in dotted lines. For maintaining the carton against the side wall 29 there is provided spring urged rollers 31. It will be appreciated that movement of the linkage elements 26 and 2'7 serves to adjust the elevation of the plate 28 on the base member and provides for accommodating cartons having dilerent heights.

The carton 30, in the embodiment herein disclosed, has a wall 30a formed by a wide flap 30b folded over a narrow flap Stic with releasably securing means such as glue spots 30d, FIG. 1, maintaining the aps together and the carton closed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an inverted, somewhat U- shaped support 32 is mounted on the base enclosure 21 and includes a forward extension 33 which mounts means for engaging a longitudinal corner edge 30e of the carton to cause the wall 30a to be bowed for reasons which will i be hereinafter apparent. `The bowing means includes a somewhat conical roller 34 which,ras shown in FIG.V 2, is

Y rotatably mounted on a pin 35 that is secured at its upper end in a cylindrical plug 36. VA downwardly depending tube 37 is also secured to the plug 3'5 for cooperation withVV a bushing portion 38 of the conical roller whileia spring 39 between the plug 36 and bushing portion furges the conical roller downwardly. It will `be seen that the conifrom its carton Vclosing position byV a lateral edge` surface 54V formed on the 'shoe means Yon the other side of the carj ton path which flares rearwardly divergingly from the side wall 29 and forces the wide flap VtoV its reversely bentV position whereV it Yextends substantially horizontally outwardly l of the carton path.`

YIt will thus be'appreciated that the carton 30 is initially y caused to have its wallStla bowed by the conical roller 34 cal roller 34 may thus move vertically-against the action of Y spring 39 and thus the roller may exert a variable bowing force depending upon the rigidity of the carton thereby maintainingY the desired amount of force to be'vexerted on the corner edge 36e of the carton to elect the bowing of y the wall Sila of the carton.

Moreover, according to the present invention, the conicalV roller may be laterally moved toward and away fromV the side wall 29 in order to enable adjustment for different Y sizes of cartons. This is accomplished by providing a threaded aperture 4t) in the plug 36 into which a screw 4l is threaded to thereby support the plug by the forward extension 33 with the threaded aperture 4@ being eccentric to the pin 35 which is securedon the axisofthe cylindrical plug 36, It will thus bel appreciated that the' cylindrical plug 36 and pin 35 may be pivoted and positioned about the axis of the screw 41 and that such movement will elect lateral movement of the conical Vroller 34 with re- Y spect to the side wall 29. Y i Y In carrying out the present invention after the wall 39a of the carton has been bowed, the carton is advanced against a shoe means generally indicated by the reference numeral 42 which has a forward nose'portion 43 which, as shown'inFlG. 4, enters beneath the bowed wall 36a and particularly eccentric to the wall a to be under the wide flap 30h of the carton.V Therno'serportion 43 flares laterally andvertically rearwardly thus increasing its cross- Y sectional dimension and as the cartonis advanced along its path throughV the device, the nose portion` serves to Y stress the wall 'Stia until sufficient force is present to'separate the ilaps held-by the glue spots 36d. -Howeven act cording to'the present invention, inV order to prevent undue strain with' possible mutilation of the liaps there is provided a blade 44 secured on the shoe means rearwardly or" Y b y the latter exerting arforc'e against the corner edge 30e and that as the carton is moved along a path defined by the plate 28, the side wall 29, the rollers 3l and the conical roller 34, the nose portion 43 ofthe shoe means enters beneath the bowed wall 3tlgV and as theV nose portion increases VinV height, it breaks the glued connection 36d; between the narrow and wide tlap Stic. and Bulb: Moreover the present invention provides for inserting between the overlying portions or"V the narrow and wide'aps they blade 44 tosever any unbroken glue connection before the nose portion exerts an; excessive Vtorce that would tend to mutilate the flaps and carton., lt is=of1 course'appreciated that if desired, the nose portion may be made so that it does not increase sumciently in cross-sectional area before the blade 144 so that the blade does lallrthe severing of the glue connection. Y Y

As the carton further advances along the path the narrow ilap Stic engages the edge surface 53 which initially forces it toa vertical positioniand then forces it to a horii zontal outwardly extending reversely bent position. Similarly'the wide ilap Stlb is caused to be' reversely bent as it moves through the device by the edge surface 54 to thus provide a carton that has been opened with the aps extending outwardly therefrom and with a minimum if any Y mutilation of the ilaps.

the nose portion. This blade 44, as shown in FIGS. 6

and 7, enters between the overlying portions of the narrow' and wide flaps Stlb and 39C of the wall and servestosever any glue spots 30d that remain between the flaps thathavej not been previously broken apart by the nose portion. TheV blade is formed of thin .material and has-ai vthin forward edge'45 that increasingly extends laterally toward the side wall 29 as it extends rearwardly to thereby extend substantially through the overlying portions of the ilapsrwhere any glue spots would be or are present. The blade also,`r

l the machine or if the noserportion has not entered beneath the bowed wall. To Vthis end there is provided a blocking Vmember 5S, as shown in FlGS. 9 and l0, which is mounted for movement in and out of the carton path ini-a cutout 56 `formed in the sidewall wat its rearward end portion slightly above the plate 28. The blocking member is pivotally secured to a'link V57 that is fast on ashaft 5S as shown in FIG. 5, has an upper surface 46 that flares Vupwardly as it extends rearwardlyV to guide the llap k3d!) toward an open position.

' As shown in FIG. l, the blade 44' is secured to the shoe means42 by vbeing made fast in airecess 47 in the shoe meansin order to have its leading outer surface and thev adjacent surface vof the' nost portionpresent a smooth surface rearwardly.

The shoe means rearwardly ofthe blade 44 has an upper i surface 48 that increasesV slightly'in height as it extends rearwardly with its bottom surface 49 remaining flat until a vertical pylon portion 50 is reached'when there is Va sharp increase ,in height. The pylon portiontl has screws 5l threaded therein for securing the, shoe means to a rearward extension 52V ofthe bight portionfofthe support 32.- i

Formed onV the shoe means slightly in advance of the pylon portion Sljis a straight lateral edge surface S3 that vtlares toward and beyond theside wall Z9. The leading part 53d Y of the edgeV surface 53 forces the narrow ilap toa substan Y tially verticali. position while the rearward part 53b Yoi'the edge-surface 53 forces the narrow ap to be reversely bent 180 from its initial carton closing-position to extend outwardlyl horizontally from the. cartonV path, as shownV in FIG. 8. Similarly, the. wide ap is reversely bent 180 pivotally mounted on bosses 59'formed on the side wall 29. lt will thus be seen that rotation of the shaft 58 effects the lateral movement of the blocking member in and out of the carton path. Also secured on the shaft for movement therewith is'a small ilap 'detector 60 shown in FlG. 1,3 having an arm Volafthat is mountedrto normally project into the carton path to be engaged by the upwardly extending small flap.V A spring el encircles theshaft 5t; andhas one end Vportion lu engaging acorner 6)b of the detector d@ and its other end portion secured as at 62 to the side wall 29 yand is employed to exert a clockwise urgingvto the detector'dl and shaft S to normally urge the blocking member into yblocking position shown in FIG.

9 andthe arm 60a into the carton path. However, upon passing ofY a carton that has its tlap's properly oriented and opened, the leadingedge of the narrow ilap will engage Y the'arm'eitla causing counter'clockwise 'rotation tozthe position shown in HG.' l0 wherein the blocking member has been retracted/from theicarton path and thus the carton is permitted topass through the device. If of course there is no apto engage Ythe arm elle, as would happen if the wall Sila were notopened, then the blocking 'member would prevent passage ofthe'carton. Y

In the'event that the wall is opened but that the carton is not properly oriented, i.e. the wide ilap- 36b is against the 'side wall 29, then the blocking mechanism ofthe present invention includes a large ap vdetector 63 (shown in FIG. 12) that is freely mounted on the shaft 58 and has an arm 63a that projects into the carton path but in advance of the arm 60a of the small ap detector 60 and spaced higher in the path than the arm 60a. Another arm 6317 of the wide flap detector carries a pin 63o which cooperates with an interferer 64 (shown in FIG. 1l) pivoted as at 65 to the side Wall 29. The interferer 64 is formed with a slot 64a in which the pin 63C is positioned and at its end is formed with a downwardly extending lip 64b that is movable to abut an upwardly projecting pin 60d of the small ilap detector. A spring 66 connected between the interferer 64 and the large ap detector 63 urges the large Hap detector clockwise to have its arm normally positioned in the carton path and the interferer counterclockwise to the positions shown by full lines in FIGS. 9 and 10.

If a wrongly oriented carton i.e. where the wide ap is nearest the side wall 29, has its flaps opened and is moved along the path the large flap h will initially engage the large tlap detector arm 63a c-ausing a subsequent counterclockwise movement thereof, which movement imparts, through the pin 63C and elongate slot 64a, a clockwise movement of the interferer 64 from the full line position to the dotted line positions shown in FIG. 9. At the dotted line position, the lip 64b is placed in the path of movement of the pin 60d and the small flap detector 60 is prevented from rotating by the pin 60d abutting against the lip 64b. Accordingly the carton is prevented from passing through the path as the blocking member is not removed from the path and the carton will engage it as indicated by the dotted line carton in FIG. 9.

It will be understood that with the instant device, if a carton is properly oriented that the small ilap will not trip the wide llap detector as the arm 63a of the detector is spaced upwardly in the carton path beyond where the small flap would engage it and on the same side of the path but will effect rotational movement of the small flap detector and subsequent unblocking of the carton path. In the event that the nose and shoe means have failed to properly open a carton, the small flap detector will not be encountered by a small ilap and hence the blocking member will maintain the carton path blocked. For the condition where an unproperly oriented carton has its wide flap against the side Wall 29, the wide flap will engage the large flap detector and cause movement of the interferer to block the releasing movement of the small flap detector `and hence the blocking member will continue to block the carton path and prevent movement of the carton therethrough.

Since many changes could be made in the embodiment of the invention as particularly described and shown herein without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that this embodiment be considered as exemplary and that the invention not be limited except as warranted by the following claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a first liap overlying and releasably secured to a second iiap to separate said aps and open the carton;

comprising means for maintaining the carton with the wall exposed,

shoe means having `a leading nose portion,

means for relatively moving the shoe means with respect to the carton for projecting the nose portion under the wall,

and blade means secured to the shoe means rearwardly of the nose portion and extending laterally beyond the nose portion for entry between the two aps to sever any releasable connection therebetween.

2. A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a top flap having a portion overlying and releasably secured to a bottom flap to separate said aps to open the carton and with one lateral end ofthe wall being free;

comprising means for longitudinally guiding a carton along a path with the wall being exposed and with the free end leading,

shoe means positioned in the path and having a nose portion projectable into the free end of the carton only under the top flap,

and blade means secured to the shoe means rearwardly of the noses portion, said blade means having a thin front edge that extends substantially laterally of the nose portion and is projectable between the overlying portions of the two llaps to sever any releasable connection therebetween.

3. A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a wide ap overlying `and releasably secured to a narrow iiap to separate said flaps to open the carton;

comprising means for longitudinally guiding a carton along a path with the wall being exposed,

shoe means positioned in the path and having a leading nose portion aligned with the path and projectable under the wide flap,

and blade means secured to the shoe means rearwardly of the nose portion, said blade means being formed to provide a thin front edge that extends laterally and rearwardly from the nose portion and an upper surface that flares upwardly as it extends rearwardly from the nose portion for entry between the two flaps to sever any releasable connection therebetween and urge the aps to be separated.

4. A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a wide flap having a portion overlying and releasably secured to a narrow `ilap to separate said flaps to open the carton and with one lateral end of the wall being free;

comprising means for longitudinally guiding a carton along a path with the wall being exposed and with the free end leading,

means engaging the carton for bowing the wall,

shoe means positioned in the path and having a nose portion projectable into the bowed free end of the carton only under the wide flap,

and blade means secured to the shoe means rearwardly of the nose portion, said blade means being formed to provide a thin front edge that extends laterally yand rearwardly from the nose portion and an upper surface that flares upwardly as it extends rearwardly from the nose portion for entry between the overlying portion of the two flaps to sever any releasable connection therebetween and to urge the aps to be separated.

5. A device for operating open a carton having a wall formed by a wide iiap releasably secured to a narrow flap to separate said ilaps and open the carton;

comprising means for longitudinally guiding each carton along a path,

means for opening said flaps,

blocking means normally positioned in said path for preventing movement of a carton therepast but movable therefrom to a non-blocking position to permit movement of a carton therethrough,

means positioned in said path after the opening means for sensing the orientation of the wide and narrow flaps,

and means mechanically interconnecting the blocking means and the sensing means for moving the blocking means to its non-blocking position upon the sensing of only the opening and correct orientation of the wide and narrow flaps.

6. A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a wide ilap secured to a narrow flap to separate said flaps and open the carton;

comprising means for longitudinally guiding each carton along a path,

means for opening the iiaps and urging them upwardly in the path,

blocking means normally positioned in said path for preventing movement of a carton therepast but movable therefrom toi a non-blocking position to permit t movement ofra carton therethrough,

means positioned in said pathy after the opening means for sensing the -position of the narrow ilapV and including a movably mounted arml extending into the path to be .engaged and moved by the narrow ap out of said path, Y

and-means mechanically interconnecting the blocking means and the narrow ap sensing means-for vmoving the blocking means to its-non -blocking position upon movement of thearm out of the path. 7. A device'for operating upon a cartonhaving a wall formed by a wide flapsecured to a narrow iiapto separate said aps and open the carton; Y

Ycomprising means for'longitudinally guiding each car-Y ton along a path, Y Y Y means forV openingthe -Vilaps and urging them upwardly inthe path, Y t blocking means normally positioned in said path for preventing movement "of a cartonV therepastV but movable therefrom toa non-blockingftpositionV to permit movement Vof a carton therethrough, Y 1 wide tlap sensing means positioned in said path after the openingmeans and mounted for movement upon engaging only! the widel ap, flap sensingmeanspositioned in said pathv afterthe wide ap sensing means and mounted for movement upon engaging either flap, f. blockingmeans kinterconnecting the wide flap sensing means and the Vflap sensing means for preventing movementY ofthe flap sensingV means upon movement of the wide ilap lsensing means, Y t and Vmeans mechanically interconnected to theV flap sensing means and therst mentioned blocking means for moving the latter to` its non-blocking position upon movement ofjthe ap sensing means.- l8. The invention as'dened'in claim '7' in,y which the wide flap sensing means fand the flap sensing means Veach includes an armA normally 'positioned in the path with the arms being mounted to extend into the path from the same side of the path with the Wide [flap sensing means armV means for opening the ilapsl and urginglthem upwardly.

invthepath,

a rst arm pivoted for movement on4 one side of the the opening means for-movement in the Y path after path,

a second arm pivoted after the rstarm and on the samey side of the path for movement -in an out of the path, Y

said rst arm being spaced higher in the path than the second arm,

a blocking member mounted for movement inY and out of the path, t

linkage interconnecting the blocking member and the second arm whereby movement yof the second arm out of the Vpath moves the blocking member out of thetpath', and interfering means connected to the rst arm and mounted for movement to an interfering position by movement of the first arm rearwardly to thereby prevent movement of the secondfarm.; Y 10. A device for operating upon a carton having a l pair of spaced'side-walls and a connecting' wall VformedA by a nap ofeach side wall lbeing bent to converge and have f V Y t t blocking means normallypositio'ned in saidpath for preventing movement of a'carton'therepast but mov- Y Y d spectto the carton for under the wall,

blade means secured ltothe'shoe means rearwardly of A thefnose 'portion and-extending laterally-beyond theV together lto vseparate said flaps to open ythe carton, one of said apsbeing wide and the other narrow;

comprising'means forlongitudinally-guiding` a carton' along a path-with the wall beingexposed,

shoe means positioned in the, path and having a leading nose portion aligned Withthepath and projectable under the wide-,dan Y blade means secured to the shoe' means rearwardly` of` the nose portion and being formed to provide la thin front edge that extends laterally andk rearwardly from thev nose port-ion and an upper surface that dares upwardly as Vit'extends rearwardly from the nose portion for entry between the two flaps to sever any releasable'connection therebetween and to urge, open- VVing of-the'aps, Y v and means forming part offthe shoe means positioned Arearwardly of the blade in the path andy having surfaces that flare ldivergingly outwardly beyondY the path for engaging and reversely bending the opened 12. A device for operating upon a carton having a pair of spaced side wallsV and va connecting wall formed by a ap of; each side wall being bent to converge and have portions that overlie each other that are releasably secured together,V Y

f meansfor guiding a carton along a path with the connecting wall being exposed, e i Y means for separating the' two'aps of the top wall by V-shoe meansvoverlying theVV pathk and projectable beneath thev connecting Vwall upon relative movement between thecarton and shoe means,l v Y said vshoe m'eansincluding ay blade secured to the shoe means andjhaving a thin front edge that extends substantially laterally of the path to enter between the overlying portions of the two-flaps tosever any releasable connection therebetween, and meansffor reversely bending the aps to project voutwardly from the sideV walls and including a irst surface'formed on the shoe means rearwardly of the blade that ilares laterally as the shoemeans extends rearwardly of the path for lreversely bending one ilap and another surface formed'on the shoe means rearwardly of the bladeKY that llares oppositely laterally as the shoe means extends rearwardly ofthe path. 13; A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a wide flap overlyingV and releasably secured to a vnarrow flap to separate said flaps and open the Vcarton comprisingymeans for longitudinally guiding each carton along-a path, Y'

means for opening said aps and including blade means having avthinVV front'edgej that extends substantially t, laterally of the Vpath to enter: betweenthe overlying portions of the two flaps Yto sever any releasable connection therebetween'and tofurge'theilaps to lan open position,A 1 e Y f Vpermit projecting the nose portion sensing the orientation of the wide and narrow flaps,

and means mechanically interconnecting the blocking means and the sensing means for moving the blocking means to its non-blocking position upon the sensing of only the opening and correct orientation of the wide and narrow llaps. 14. A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a wide flap secured to a narrow iap to separate said aps and open the carton:

comprising means for longitudinally guiding each carton along a path,

means for opening the tlaps and urging them upwardly in the path and including blade means positioned in saidpath and being formed to provide a thin front edge that extends laterally and rearwardly and an upper surface that flares upwardly as it eX- tends rearwardly for entry between the overlying portion of the two flaps to sever `any releasable connection therebetween,

blocking means normally positioned in said path for preventing movement of a carton therepast but movable therefrom to a non-blocking position to permit movement of a carton therethrough,

wide ap sensing means positioned in said path after the blade means and mounted for movement upon engaging only the wide flap,

ap sensing means positioned in said path after the wide tlap sensing means and mounted for movement upon engaging either flap,

blocking means interconnecting the wide ap sensing means and the ap sensing means for preventing movement of the ap sensing means upon movement of the wide tlap sensing means,

and means mechanically interconnected to the ap sensing means and the first mentioned blocking means for moving the latter to its non-blocking position upon movement of the flap sensing means.

15. A device for operating upon a carton having a wall formed by a wide flap releasably Secured to a narrow ap to separate said flaps and open the carton;

comprising means for longitudinally guiding said cartons along a path,

l@ means for opening the flaps and urging them upwardly in the path and including blade means positioned in said path and being formed to provide a thin front edge that extends laterally and rearwardly and an upper surface that flares upwardly as it extends rearwardly for entry between the overlying portion of the two tlaps to sever any releasable connection` therebetween,

a first arm pivoted for movement on one side of the path after the blade means for movement in the path,

a second arm pivoted for movement in and out of the path after the rst arm and on the same side of the path, said rst arm being spaced higher in the path than the second arm,

a blocking member mounted for movement in and out of the path after the second arm,

linkage interconnecting the blocking member and the second arm whereby movement of the second arm out of the path moves the blocking member out of the path,

interfering means connected to the rst arm and mounted for movement to an interfering position by movement of the rst arm rearwardly to prevent movement of the second arm,

and means positioned rearwardly of the blocking member in the path and having surfaces that flare divergingly outwardly beyond the path for engaging and reversely bending the opened flaps of a carton that has passed by the blocking member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,574,087 ll/51 Burhans 3D-2 2,595,122 4/52 Burhans 30-2 2,595,815 5/52 Salzano 30-2 2,994,173 8/ 61 Herrick 53-50 3,068,622 12/ 62 Brownlee.

VILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD V. BENHAM, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR OPERATING UPON A CARTON HAVING A WALL FORMED BY A FIRST FLAP OVERLYING AND RELEASABLY SECURED TO A SECOND FLAP TO SEPARATE SAID FLAPS AND OPEN THE CARTON; WALL EXPOSED, SHOE MEANS HAVING A LEADING NOSE PORTION, MEANS FOR RELATIVELY MOVING THE SHOE MEANS WITH RESPECT TO THE CARTON FOR PROJECTING THE NOSE PORTION UNDER THE WALL, AND BLADE MEANS SECURED TO THE SHOE MEANS REARWARDLY OF THE NOSE PORTION AND EXTENDING LATERALLY BEYOND THE NOSE PORTION FOR ENTRY BETWEEN THE TWO FLAPS TO SEVER ANY RELEASABLE CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN. 